Game



L. W. HARRIS Feb. 20, 1934.

GAME

heet l Flled Sept 22 1932 2 Sheets- L. W. HARRIS GAME Filed Sept. 22, 1932 Feb. 20, 1934.

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gvwcmkvn Z ,60/"3722'0 WHar/"z's Patented Feb. 20, 1934 GAME Lorenzo W. Harris, Asbury Park, N. J.

Application September 22, 1932 Serial No. 634,405

5 Claims.

This invention relates toamusement devices and more particularly to an amusement device which is constructed to indicate a fortune or the like. 7

An object of this invention is to provide a coin or check controlled device which is so constructed that the coin or check is adapted to gravitatingly move downwardly through a tortuous path and then pass into slots which have a backing provided with an amusing fortune telling back.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means for holding the coins or checks within the fortune telling slots until the coins begin to cover up the indicia in the form of a fortune telling means whereupon the coins may be released for movement into a coin receptacle provided in the base of the device.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation partly in section and partly broken away of a device con structed according to the preferredembodiment of this invention;

Figure 2is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3-01? Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 designates generally a hollow base structure which has a vertically disposed back or wall 11 extending upwardly therefrom. The vertical wall or back 11 is provided with a metal inner face member 13 and a pair of angularly related bars 14 are secured to the inner face of the facing member 13. s

A coin or check guide 15' extends through flange 16 carried by the rear wall 11 and this coin guide is of substantially C-shaped construction, being open at the front face so that the passage of a coin therethrough can be readily viewed by the person operating the device. The inner end of this coin guide 15 terminates at the terminal end of the upwardly converging bars 14.

A second pair of coin or check guides 1'7 are secured at one end to the converging members 14 and extend upwardly and laterally at an angle to the vertical and terminate outwardly of the sideedges of the vertical flanges 18 carried by the back wall 11-. These guides 1'7 are similar in conno struction to the vertical guide 15 so that the downward passage by gravity of a coin or check therethrough can be readily seen by the person operating the device.

Disposed within the area or space between the o5 converging bars 14 are a plurality of triangularly arranged pins 19 which extend through the metal facing member 13 and into the back wall structure 11. These 'pins, in the present instance, are constructed in the form of nails with the heads 7 disposed away from the back wall 11, and these pins are arranged in triangular relation and spaced apart a sufficient distance so that a coin or check can readily pass between pairs or series of these pins.

The upwardly converging bars 14 constitute flanges to limit the lateral movement of the coins in the downward passage thereof and between the lower ends of these flanges or bars 14, there are disposed a plurality of vertically disposed chutes or guides, generally designated as 20. These guides 20 are constructed in L-shaped form with one leg thereof secured to the metal facing member 13 and the other leg disposed at right angles to this facing member. These guides 20 are spaced apart a suficient distance to permit a coin or check to readily and easily pass downwardly therethrough.

A fortune telling card or slip 21 is arranged one between each pair of guide members 20 and these slips 21 are provided with suitable indicia 22 on the outer face thereof to indicate an amusing fortune or legend. A horizontally disposed slip holding member 23 has one edge thereof secured by means of nails 24 or the like to the facing member 13 and the lower edge thereof is disposed away from the facing member so that the horizontal strip 23 acts as a shed to prevent contact of the coins with the upper ends of the indicia bearing slips 22. The front face of this device is closed at the upper portion thereof by a hinged transparent door, generally designated as 25, and a sliding transparent panel 26.

This door 25 comprises a rectangular frame structure 2'7, which is hinged as at 28, to the side flange 18 of the back 11, and the inner face of the transparent panel 29 within the frame 2'7 is adapted to substantially contact with the heads or exposed ends of the nails or pins 19. The lower panel 26 engages at the inner surface thereof no and a flange 30 extending inwardly from the flange l8.

The upper edge of the lower panel 26 is adapted to underlie the lower edge of the transparent door 25 so that when this door 25 is closed, the lower panel 26 is held against upward sliding movement. The base is comprises a bottom 31, a 1 front wall 32, a top wall 33 and a rear wall 34, which rear wall is integral with the back wall 11.

The top wall 33 engages against the lower edge of the lower panel 26 and this top wall 33 constitutes a ledge or shelf upon which coins or checks may be placed during the playing of the device.

The inner edge of the top wall 33 is spaced outwardly from the front face of the rear wall 34 so that the coins in the guides 2o may readily pass downwardly into the interior of the base 10.

A coin holding member, generally designated as 35, is pivotally carried by the top wall 33 and has a portion thereof disposed in the path of the downwardly moving coins inv the guides so that these coins will be prevented from dropping into the interior of the base 10 until the coin holder 35 has been rocked.

The coin holder 35 comprises a substantially Z-shaped member having one leg 36 thereof secured to an operating rod 37. This rod 37 is piv- ;;0ta11y mounted in bearings 38 carried by the top wall 33 and the upper horizontal leg 39 of thezshaped member is positioned across the path of the coins. moving downwardly in the guide mem-.

bers 20. The intermediate leg 40 of this Z-shaped 35 member is adapted to engage against an inclined edge ll provided at the inner end of the top wall 33. r

A curved rod 42 is secured intermediate its ends to the coin holding member 35 and springs 43 are secured one at each end to the resilient bar or rod 42 and are also secured at the upper ends thereof to the base wall member 33. The rear wall 34 of the base 10 is cut out,as at 44, so as to permit the swinging movement of the coin holder 35.to permit the dropping of the coins downwardly into a coin receptacle which is mounted within the interior of the base 10.

This cut out portion 44 is inclined forwardly, as at 46, sothat as the coins pass downwardly in this recess 44, the coins will be projected forwardly into the. receptacle or drawer 45. The drawer 45- has a front wall or end member 47 which may be provided with a suitable locking means 48 so that the unauthorized removal of the coins from the drawer l5 will be prevented. The-upper door 25 is also provided with a looking means 49 so that the door cannot be opened by an unauthorized person. The space between the downwardly divergent bars 14 and the adjacent side wall of the back 11 may be filled with cards bearing suitable indicia or instructions to operate the device or, if desired, this space may be filled with advertising matter. The operating rod or shaft 37 is extended at one end 5 outwardly of the base 10 and provided with a suitable handle or operating mechanism 50 by means of which the holder 35 can be rocked into released position. The springs 43 will constantly urge the coin holder 35 into closed position.

In the use and operation of this device, the coin or check is placed in the selected guide either 15 or 17 and permitted to gravitatingly pass downwardly therethrough and when the 75,. coin leaves the selected guide, it will strike the nearest pins 19 and be deflected from a straight downward path by these staggered pins 19 which, in the present form, are arranged in substantially diamond form so that a tortuous downward passage is provided tor the coin. After the coin passes the tortuous area provided by the pins 19, it will enter one of the slots 20 and be held in this slot by means of the coin holding member 35.

The legend, either verse or otherwise on the fortune slip 21, will then be read as the fortune of the individual playing the device, and this fortune is in the form of an amusing legend or verse so that the playing of the device will be a source of amusement.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:--'

l. A game as set forth comprising a hollow base, a pair of vertical walls disposed in spaced relation to each other extending upwardly from the base, means for providing a tortuous passage between the walls, guide means for guiding a playing member into the tortuous passage adjacent the top thereof, vertical guide members disposed below the tortuous passage, indicia bearing plates mounted within the vertical guides, means engaging the upper ends of the plates to prevent contact of the playing members with the upper ends of the plates, a coin holding member disposed below the vertical guides, means for swingably mounting the coin holding memberin the base, yieldable means engaging the coin holding member to constantly urge the member into position to hold the playing members within the guide members, and operating means for the holding member.

2. A game as set forth comprising a hollow base, a pair of vertically. disposed walls extending upwardly from the base and disposed in spaced relation to each other, means for providing a tortuous passage downwardly between the walls, coin guide means engageable from without the walls to permit a coin to gravitatingly drop through the tortuous passage, vertical guide members disposed i below the tortuous passage, indicia bearing members between the vertical guide members, means engaging the upper ends of the indicia bearing members to prevent contact of a coin with the upper ends of said latter members, a substantially Z-shaped coin holding member disposed below the vertical guide members and having each end thereof disposed in substantially horizontal position, means engaging one end of the coin holding member to swingably mount the member in the base, a longitudinally curved resilient bar carried by the coin holding member, springs engaging each endqof the bar and engaging the base to constantly urge the coin holding member into holding position, and operating means for said'coin holding member extending exteriorly of the base.

3. A game as set forth comprising a hollow base, a pair of vertical Walls extending upwardly from the base and disposed in spaced relation to each other, means for providing a tortuous passage between the two walls, guide means communicating with the upper end of the tortuous passage to permit a coin to gravitatingly pass downwardly through the tortuous passage, vertical guide members disposed below the tortuous passage, in-

dicia bearing plates disposed between the vertical guide members, means engaging the upper ends of the plates to prevent contact of a coin with the upper ends of the plates, a coin holding member, means for swingably mounting the coin holding member across the lower ends of the vertical guide members, yieldable means for constantly urging the coin holding member into holding position, operating means for said coin holding member, one of said walls being provided with a horizontally disposed recess, said recess adjacent the lower edge thereof being inclined inwardly of the base to provide a guide means to guide the coins forwardly of said one wall, and a coin receptacle within the base and below the recess to receive the coins upon downward swinging movement of the coin holding member.

4. In a game as described including a tortuous means, vertical guide members below the means and a coin or check receiving means; a Z-shaped holding member having one portion underlying said guide members, means for pivotally securing the holding member to the receiving means, a longitudinally curved bar secured to said holding member, and springs engaging said bar and constantly urging said holding member into a position below said guide members.

5. In a game as described including a tortuous means, vertical guide members below the means and a coin or check receiving means; a Z-shaped holding member having one portion underlying said guide members, a pivot for said holding memher, a longitudinally curved bar secured to said holding member, springs engaging said bar and the receiving means to constantly urge said holding member into a position below said guide members, and operating means integral with said pivot.

LORENZO W. HARRIS. 

